The majority of the snow — 63.8 inches in total — fell on Christmas Day and Tuesday, breaking the statewide record for most snow observed in a two-day period. An additional 6 to 12 inches of snow was forecast for the city through Friday.

Lake-effect snow is a winter phenomenon where cold, arctic air blows over the still-warm Great Lakes, forming narrow bands of clouds that can dump heavy snow on nearby communities.

"This is insane!" said a meteorologist for Erie News Now, a local news outlet.